In this episode of Harvest the Pour, we sit down with Jonas Buxton and Mike Reed, co-owners of Bare Wood Spirits in O'Fallon, Missouri. They dive into the inspiration and process behind their unique business, which utilizes a patented "barrel in a bottle" technology. Mike, with a background in invention and a family history in distilling, and Jonas, with an engineering background, combined their skills to create a product that revolutionizes spirits aging. Their technology allows spirits to age within the bottle by using different types of wood staves that mimic the aging process of a barrel. They discuss the challenges they faced entering the spirits industry, the importance of mentorship, and their innovative approach to sourcing and marketing their products.
Key Points
Founders’ Backgrounds and Inspiration: Jonas’ background in engineering and Mike’s in invention led to the creation of Bare Wood Spirits, driven by their passion for whiskey.
Barrel in a Bottle Technology: Mike’s patented technology allows spirits to age in the bottle using a wooden stave, mimicking traditional barrel aging.
Research and Development of the Patent: The patent for the "flavoring member" technology enables capillary action for continuous aging and flavor infusion.
Challenges in Starting the Business: They faced significant regulatory hurdles and needed mentorship to navigate industry complexities.
Creative Sourcing and Batch Variety: Bare Wood Spirits sources whiskey from various distilleries, offering batch variety rather than consistency.
Community Building and Unique Tasting Experience: The founders plan to build a community with a tasting room that offers unique, wood-finished whiskey flights.
Marketing Challenges: Educating consumers about the innovative technology is difficult, but tasting events help spread awareness.
Future Plans for Expansion: Their growth strategy focuses on local expansion in Missouri, followed by surrounding states, with plans for a tasting room.
Continuous Product Development: Mike is working on improving the cork design to enhance the customer experience.
Advice for Entrepreneurs: They emphasize the importance of mentorship, networking, and perseverance in overcoming business challenges.